Questions about rights of women

THIS is apropos of Raqim Haque’s letter, “WomenÂ’s rightsÂ” (Dec 23), in which he says our religion asks our womenfolk to cover themselves when they go out of their homes so that they may be recognized as noble women and not be harassed.

Does Mr Haque wish to imply that women who do not cover themselves properly are not noble? Women in the West do not cover themselves properly but are never harassed on the streets, firstly because of the stringent laws and, secondly, because for the western men it is not a big deal to watch women not fully covered.

On the other hand, in Muslim countries like Pakistan women are harassed on the streets even if they are clad in burqa.

It is because of the lack of segregation of both sexes which leads to men behaving in a desperate fashion.

Lastly, the law should protect a victim and not a criminal. If women are harassed, the solution is not to cover them in layers of clothes but to give an exemplary punishment to the offender.
Source: Dawn
Date:12/29/2008